Hell Has No Altars

 

Genesis 8:20-9:1 (KJV)

20 And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. 22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. 1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

 

The establishment, construction, and ownership of an Altar is mentioned 378 times in the word of God.

 

God has placed a great emphasis on altars. An altar is a meeting place for God and humanity. It’s the place where God accepts the sacrifice and in turn blesses the individual who gave the sacrifice.

 

An altar is a place for God’s mercy to come down. It’s the place of communication and direction from God. It’s the place of submission for humanity. An altar was so important to God, that He required it in the tabernacle of the wilderness.

 

The brazen altar was put directly in front of the entrance into the Tabernacle. The first order of business conducted was at the Brazen Altar. Failure to do so, resulted in death.

 

An altar is so important to God that He put one in Heaven.

 

Revelation 8:3 (KJV) And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

 

I would submit to you tonight that an altar is a very important asset in the Kingdom of God. Lives are changed at the altars of God.

This carpeted area is more than part of a building; it is where God interacts with His people.

 

There aren’t enough pages in a book, time in the day, or space in a hard drive, to tell of all the wonderful things that have happened at the altars of God.

 

Please don’t misunderstand me, an altar is not so much about the place as it is about the purpose and the person.

 

The altar in this church could tell a story, but an altar isn’t a place; it’s a person and a purpose. That purpose is a sacrifice and communication with God.

 

An altar can be any place where you submit yourself to worship and give God your undivided attention.

 

And when you have done that, God will move and great things will happen.

 

Did anybody come to touch Him?

Did anybody come to seek Him?

Did anybody come to find Him?

Did anybody come to give Him praise?

Did anybody come needing an answer?

Did anybody come for direction?

Did anybody come to feel Him?

 

I would submit to you that you can have all the above at the altar. At an altar you can start fresh.

 

The first recorded altar builder in the word of God was Noah. Nowhere in the Bible, before the flood, is there mention of an altar.

 

Cain and Abel offered sacrifice, but no altar was built. The first thing Noah did when he came off the Ark after the flood was build an altar.

 

Noah was thankful that he found grace in the eyes of the Lord and made a new beginning after the flood, he turned over a new leaf in his life.

 

Something happens when you come to an altar ready for change. Sinners are transformed at God’s Altars.

 

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

 

It’s at an altar that a way out can be provided.

 

Genesis 22:9-13 (KJV)

9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. 11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

 

If you come looking for an answer and are willing to sacrifice, God will always provide.

 

It is at an altar that promises are made.

 

Genesis 12:7 (KJV) And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him.

 

It is at an altar that God can appear.

 

Genesis 35:7 (KJV) And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.

 

When God shows up anything is possible.

 

It’s at an altar where God will fight your battles.

Exodus 17:15-16 (KJV)

15 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi: 16 For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

 

It’s at an altar where you can find God again

 

Genesis 13:4 (KJV) Unto the place of the altar, which he had make there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.

 

Micah 7:8 (KJV) Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.

 

It’s at an altar that God can consume your sacrifice and let his fire fall.

 

1 Kings 18:30 (KJV) And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.

 

1 Kings 18:38 (KJV) Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

 

It’s at an altar that you can have an experience with God.

 

Acts 2:1-4 (KJV)

1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

 

The best thing about an altar is it’s available all the time. An altar is here right now. The time to come and find God is now.

 

But remember my title: Hell Has No Altars.

Hell has no place to repent, to find God, to start over again, to get it right, to find grace, or to find mercy. In Hell, everyone will pray and ask for mercy, but Hell Has No Altars.

 

Come, let us get ahold of the altars of God!